Kukla's Korner Hockey

Marc Savard suffered his final hit as an NHL player Jan. 22, 2011. The blow from teammate Matt Hunwick happened less than 10 months after Matt Cooke delivered his blindside wallop.

The hit that is less obvious but might have contributed to Savard’s condition happened Jan. 15, 2011.

Pittsburgh’s Deryk Engelland closed on Savard as he passed the puck. The force of Engelland’s approach drove the back of Savard’s head into the TD Garden boards. Savard went down, but he played in the next four games, the last of his career.

It’s possible the Reebok Checklight could have red-flagged Savard’s condition following Engelland’s check.

The Checklight, developed in conjunction with Cambridge-based electronics company MC10, is a wearable device that monitors head impacts.

A hockey player would wear a skull cap under his or her helmet. A tab containing impact sensors slides into a groove inside the cap. An indicator with green, yellow, and red lights is positioned outside the cap along the back of the player’s neck.